Why Atlanta Unbound Academy?
AUA will serve as a beacon of academic promise and create a community of students who are the seeds of their ancestor’s wildest dreams-authentic, engaged citizens and leaders of their community who achieve beyond expectations and fuel the advancement and glory of their people. Through rigorous, culturally relevant teaching and a creative, nurturing environment, AUA will empower students who achieve intellectually, interpret the world critically, and dream beyond measure. There are lots of ways you can make an impact and we have a team that is all in. You have the privilege to work with incredible students, and there’s always someone who’s got your back from coaching you through a challenging day to helping you grow professionally and personally. While our environment is urgent, fast-paced and ever-fluctuating, you’ll have all the support (and caffeine) you need to feel successful.
Compassion. Courage. Critical Thinking. – We are AUA.
Why You?
The time is now. There is no more urgent and pressing mission than to provide a rigorous and culturally relevant education to students from low-income communities. We hire passionate professionals determined to ensure that 100% of their students succeed. Anything less would be unacceptable. It’s fast-paced, tiring, sometimes all-consuming, yet fun and rewarding. We need passionate educators committed to raising the bar of excellence for our children. Educators, who believe in open doors, welcome feedback and aren’t afraid to ask for help. An AUA teacher is a self-starter, results-oriented, thinks critically about problems, compassionate and courageous enough to come back each day renewed, with a smile and a sense of humor.
AUA is a great fit for the person who:
enjoys creating from scratch and is excited to create a school
can take a vision and make it reality when few see it.
believes in the value culturally relevant teaching
can remain calm in the midst of pressure, especially in difficult conversations with stakeholders
has a sense of humor, humility, and urgency, with a customer service mindset
believes in doing whatever it takes to meet the goal
has strong project and time management skills; ability to effectively backwards plan, juggle multiple priorities with great attention to detail, and deliver consistent and timely results.
has an unwavering commitment to AUA’s mission and willingness to go above and beyond to meet the needs of AUA’s students, families, and staff.
The Role
AUA will grow to K-4 and 6-8th during the 2024-2025 school year. The school will continue to grow each year until it is a K-8 school.
As a starting school, there is much room for growth and development at Atlanta Unbound Academy. The Special Education Teacher is responsible for students on their grade band and should have the capacity and desire to shape the school Special Education vision at AUA.
An AUA Special Education kindergarten teacher sets the foundation for a child’s life and thus performs beyond statistical expectations in part because our teachers are exceptional. Special Education kindergarten teachers share their classrooms with general education teachers, and are considered the lead Special Education teacher in the classroom and for the grade level. They are responsible for teaching all subjects including, reading, math, writing, and social studies/science. At AUA there are varying methods of delivering instruction to children, including small group work, co/parallel teaching, whole group teaching and pulling students one on one. Classroom teachers are also supported by paraprofessionals, a special education leaders, instructional and culture leaders
Our expectations for teachers include, but are not limited to, the following:
A belief that all students can and will be successful at our schools, including students who present challenges
Teach engaging, rigorous, and culturally relevant lessons daily
Assume a high level of personal responsibility for the progress of all students
Practice a growth mindset about oneself and all others at the school, including seeking help and engaging in self-reflection in order to constantly refine one’s own teaching
Dependable attendance according to our extended school year and extended school day
Communicate frequently and consistently with students and families, including after school via phone, regarding academics, behavior, logistics, and homework help
Use best practices in alignment with school-wide systems to manage student behavior and create a safe, warm, demanding, and joyful classroom environment
Set specific, ambitious growth targets for all students and identify and leverage all necessary resources to ensure they meet them
Use best practices to backwards plan weekly and daily instruction that is tightly aligned to prescribed unit objectives and student needs as demonstrated by assessment data
Assess students daily, weekly, and at the ends of units and analyze and share assessment data through school-wide systems
Use best practices, including differentiation with instructional technology and other techniques, to execute engaging instruction at a level rigorous for all students
Collaborate throughout each day with grade level and content teams, sharing responsibility for all students at all times
In addition to the above, Special Education Teachers are expected to:
Hold IEP or 504 meetings with families on their grade band
Provide Special Education services to students
Ensure the goals of IEPs are met
AUA teachers are supported in their demanding work by experienced and dedicated leadership who have themselves proven successful in the teaching role. The leaders maintain consistent school-wide systems and procedures – academic, behavioral, cultural, logistical – designed to permit teachers to do their best work.
Our supports for teachers include, but are not limited to the following:
A recent model of laptop computer
Common behavioral expectations upheld by all school staff using an incentive system
School leaders who are routinely present throughout the building daily
One-on-one meetings with instructional and culture leaders to discuss student progress and the teacher’s development
Collaboration with grade-level and/or content teams four afternoons per week
Time each week devoted to analyzing student data and planning responsive instruction
A prep period each day,
Frequent in-building professional development from school leadership
A rigorous prepared curriculum in ELA, Math, and Science; prepared unit plans and unit assessments for Social Studies
Technology support
Highly efficient and thoughtful scheduling, including for special events like field lessons or testing windows
A team of ambitious, talented staff, every single one committed to our important work
REQUIREMENTS
The requirements for a Classroom Teacher are:
Bachelor’s degree (required)
Georgia Special Education teacher license (required)
Must pass federal background check
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
Atlanta Unbound Academy starting salary for this role is $52,681. Salaries increase incrementally based on years of experience and level of education with conferred degree.
Free medical, dental insurance, and vision insurance for employees. Competitive rates for short-term disability insurance, and life insurance. Contributions to the Teacher Retirement System (TRS) in accordance with Georgia State law
An additional, optional 403(b) retirement account
Statement of Non-Discrimination:
AUA is committed to a policy of equal treatment for all individuals applying for employment. AUA does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, handicap, age, religion, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin.
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